This is the blog of Adam Kalsey. Unusual depth and complexity. Rich, full body with a hint of nutty earthiness.

Wells Fargo is stupid

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3 Mar 2006

Today’s mail contained a new debit card from my bank, Wells Fargo. It was sent to an address that I moved from a year ago. Imagine my surprise when I checked the expiration date on the old card and found my old card doesn’t expire for another two years. Mildly alarmed that Wells Fargo was sending a card I didn’t order and don’t need to an address at which I no longer reside, I called Wells Fargo.

Nothing nefarious is going on. They simply had the old address somewhere deep in the bowels of their CRM system and although all their other correspondance comes to the new address, some quirk caused the debit card to go elsewhere. I suppose it could have been worse. They could have mis-delivered some token that would give a random stranger complete access to all my money. Oh, that’s right, they did.

On to the next question. Why did they send the card when I didn’t order it and apparently don’t need it? It’s for my protection and convenience. A review of my account has determined that my account usage might put me at a high risk of fraud, so to protect me, they’ve changed my card number.

I appreciate the thought, but perhaps they should have asked me first? There’s a few recurring charges tied to that account, and now none of them work. I’ve got to track down each one and update the account information.

I’m one of the more security conscious customers that Wells Fargo has. I use different passwords for everything. I only store my card number with companies I trust. I review my account several times a week looking for suspicious activity. If there was a fraudulant charge, I’d know about it before Wells Fargo would. But Wells Fargo decided that they needed to protect me from myself. I’m a high-value customer with lots of online activity, so I must have made a mistake somewhere and to keep me from shooting myself in the foot, they’re going to take action.

As a customer with lots of activity, it’s particularly inconvenient for me to deal with a random, unplanned card number change. Who made this sofrt of decision? Someone didn’t think through the implications of the change they were making. Hey, Wells Fargo, don’t do this again.

I have stayed with Wells Fargo for almost 2 years now but I was unhappy recently because I can't do much on their Online Banking Site.
It started when I went to deposit checks on an ATM machine like always because I never make it to the bank because of work. So at night time, I always make it a habit to deposit money. But I noticed that there is always a lost $100 on the account and the receipt says a different amount from the ATM Machine. So I checked on a branch one time for me to understand why it happened. They explained to me that they make the $100 ready for me to be used. But still, the amount it printed in my receipt was no where to be found in their database. They showed it to me in their old computer. Most of the amounts in their computer in my history didn't appear in my online site. I told them why this amount never appeared in my history. Even in my online banking account, I never saw that amount. It habitually changes and you can never keep track of how much money you got when you deposit in an ATM Machine. Even if I use the calculator to sum up the deposits and withdrawals, it never came up with the right amount. That is why I told the employee how am I suppose to know if the bank is getting money from my account or not since the figures always changes. (I use my ATM account for everything, sales, POS, shopping, food, etc.) What they told me is that the bank never gets money out of my account. I could believe him on what he is saying but he can't explain to me why the figures in my online account never matches if I use the calculator.
The main thing about this is what if I want to see how much money I have when I deposited this money 3 days ago? This is my main problem on their website. I saw that they updated the whole website but still its just some GUI changes and design but no important updates that will make online banking easier. I told him I wanted to see how much money I have for each transaction I made. So I can keep track to prove his word that I am not losing money. He told me, "You can make a ledger for yourself of each transaction you made and you can compare it against the website." I said, "Then why do I have to do banking with you guys if I have to do it myself manually." This made me think how much online banking with Wells Fargo sucks.
And then a friend told me about Bank of America. He showed me their online banking and I was delighted on a particular feature I need. They log each transaction and besides each shows how much money you have after the transaction was made. In Wells Fargo, you only can get how much money you have before the transaction happened only the MOST RECENT one. In BofA, they will show you everything for each transaction you made. This will save my time rather than me doing a ledger and log each transaction manually which is ridiculous. So in short, I opened an account and I am on the verge of moving and closing my Wells Fargo account once I got my tax refund in my old WF bank account.
This is my story. I hope Wells Fargo can do something about this.

Dru306June 4, 2008 1:53 PM

What is the point of online and mobile banking if you have to keep your own register anyways? I'm not saying that Wells Fargo shouldn't charge you for exceeding your limit, I'm just saying that the way they conduct business is unfair to the consumer. How are you supposed to keep an accurate register when charges can "fall off", as one phone banker explained to me, and then re-post at any time. And it just so happens that these charges re-post right before you make a deposit to cover the costs, but yet you had made the deposit before the charges re-posted. The bank managers response to this situation was, "well we can't keep charges on there forever!" Understandable, but if Wells Fargo is going to drop and re-post charges at their discretion, how about an e-mail? a phone call? a fucking smoke signal, just some kind of notification on whats going on with our account! If we have to keep a register, and track all transactions whether it be charges falling off, pending transactions, and when items are posted..... Well isn't that the banks job. How about giving the consumer the option to keep the charge posted a few more days? After all it was the consumer who made the charge, they should know if the charge was legit or not. And another thing that is funny, Wells Fargo doesn't give you the option to set-up your check card in a way to where it is impossible to go over your balance. Why not? Instead they allow you to open a second account that acts as an overdraft protection account. And then when you do need to utilize your "overdraft protection" account they charge you a fee. That's the fucking stupidest shit I ever heard! It's all MY MONEY! Why the hell should I have to pay a fee for covering costs with my own money. But the bank and credit systems are set up for the average consumer to fail. You can't take your debit/credit card and run it up to $20,000 when your limit/account balance is only $500 because sooner or later your card will be declined. But the banks allow you to go over just a little, so that way when you do (even if it's a dollar!) they hit you with a fine. But Wells Fargo is a business, and a large one at that, so I expect to see no change in the way things are done because they profit too much money in fees alone. So the only solution I see for now is to get rid of online and mobile banking since they are not always up-to-date and Wells Fargo expects you to keep a register.(That seems to be their answer for everything.) And get rid of your check card. It amazing on how many people are siding with Wells Fargo, even though you may be an employee, I mean come on! Deep in the back of your head you have to be telling yourself people are getting bent over here. It used to be that people would allow the bank to take their money to keep it in a safe place, nowadays the bank is just taking our money. If your an average consumer, who works a 9-5, barely making ends meet, and trying to support a family... You're better off keeping your money in a shoe box under your bed. At least then you know you won't be getting ripped off.

TrishJune 25, 2008 2:23 PM

Kari, Katy and all of the other Wells Fargo employees.
I find it insensitive and downright rude of your responses toward anyone who has expressed their concern, grievenses and so forth.
THAT in my opinion is how rude the customer service is at Wells Fargo.
Yes I used to bank there....used to being the operative word.
I chose to leave Wells Fargo banking because of the 'rude' customer service and the constant bank charges on my account.
Did you know that Wells Fargo CHARGES the customer if they take money from your overdraft protection account?
For example: My payroll checks were automatically deposited into my account on Friday morning. Actually posted to my account. Then on Saturday morning we'd deposit my husbands payroll check because his company doesn't provide automatic deposit. That deposit of course would be held or in pending mode until Tuesday morning.
IF you went and spent all the money you just deposited over that weekend, you'd see the transactions, however if you happened to spend over that and Wells Fargo was left to transfer money from your savings/overdraft proctection account, Wells Fargo would charge $10 for each transfer/transaction they made for you. WTF? So say if I needed $10 transferred over to cover the overdraft then Wells Fargo is taking $10 for themselves because someone had to go into the system to do this?
In my opinion Wells Fargo is nickel and diming everyone to death with these 'hidden' fees and charges. It's outrageous and really needs to stop. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if more and more customers start leaving Wells Fargo.
I've had nothing but foul mouthed, obnoxious angry little punks for customer service reps who I might add more hidden charges just for answering or taking care of something on your account.
Oh gosh I could go on and on about how bad Wells Fargo is but I think the fact that I've 'stiffed' them with a negative -$1,000 overdraft and not answering their calls and returning their little notices and envelopes.
I've opened up a bank account with a our local credit union, which I might add have even made $.10 within our first week of opening our account. No hidden fees with them plus we own a portion of our credit union. We've had our account now for a couple of months and love it there. Always treated with a smile and they've even started calling us by our name! How's that?!!
Oh sure....eventually I'll get around to paying this overdraft charge that's on that Wells Fargo account, but you know what? I'm not in any big hurry to do so.
So Kari, Katy and all other other Wells Fargo employees..............I hope you're happy working there at Wells Fargo because eventually..............you'll be a victim of what everyone else is complaining about. So......YOU GROW UP BITCHES AND LEARN SOME CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS!!!

PatOctober 2, 2008 12:41 PM

Oh gosh, I have been paying all bills with cash for over 3 years. I am no further ahead for it, but no one takes anything that I am not aware of. It's such a simple step towards sanity. I learned my lesson with WF. However, I did hear something on the news about WF that they were laying off an undisclosed amount of workers. The bigger they are the harder they fall. Who-a

TammyOctober 9, 2008 2:44 PM

Yeah? Well Wells Fargo changed my address without telling me or without me telling them to! My next door neighbor moved and ONE letter from wells fargo got forwarded with their mail by mistake...so they just change my address. No call, no mail, no e-mail....so here my old neighbor (who I DID NOT get along with) received my statements and bills for my checking, credit and mortgage accounts! So what do they do? They change my account number and send me a new card...witht he WRONG NAME. THey went back to my maiden name (it already took my three years to get them to finally switch to my married name and here we go all over again) And the problems just keep coming. WARNING: They can flag your accounts if they don't like you so watch out! If you get mad, even if you have a good reason, they will flag you and then you are really screwed! They close accounts, etc, just out of spite. Bad Business!!!!!!!!!! I have been doing business with these guys for 10 years, and just had problems in the last year. I've had enough problems to decide to pull all my accounts and start new somewhere else, even though this hurts my credit!

ClaudiaNovember 10, 2008 6:02 PM

I used to work for wells and let me tell you... there is no such thing a free account... as a banker we were forced to sell costumers savings accounts, check cards, online banking.. and everything you can imagine. So all of you complaining of getting cards at the wrong address or not asking for things and getting them... is all all ALL techniques a banker uses to get sales and they will get away with it... why? because the banker is always right. I feel sorry for all who bank at wells!!!!

ChelseaNovember 23, 2008 6:42 PM

let me tell you what, I DO keep a register and my register is ALWAYS right when I am using it with my account at Bank of America, but for some reason, it is NEVER right when I am using it with my wells fargo account. I have never been satisfied with Wells Fargo and never will be ever again. The manager of one of the banks that I live by personally told me that OVER 100 dollars worth of charges should not be there, and more charges that WERE NEVER SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN keep on showing up!!!!!!!! Easy to say, today is Sunday and as of tomorrow morning, I will no longer be a wells fargo customer ever again. Also, that same manager told me that if I did not open up a student checking account and take his advice, the other account would have a WHOLE BUNCH of "hidden charges". Well at least they kept their word on that! Thanks for nothing Wells Fargo!!
P.S., all of you wells fargo employees commenting on this making crude remarks, I don't think that it is helping you keep angry customers at all!!! Good judgement on that one!

Barry RosenbloomApril 15, 2009 1:30 PM

Most USA banks are corrupt, since we are now a socialist country with the banks being owned by the USA govt, they ought to treat us better, fees, here, fee there, all they do is nickel and dime their customers with bull-sh-- fees. However, the CEOS, UFOS, and CFOs of these corrupt USA companies never seem to be in a loss for money. They are making millions off of all these garbage junk fees. Just say NO to banks in USA.

Mrs. RodgersJune 27, 2009 10:18 PM

I have used Wells Fargo for ten years. Using a check register and keeping your balance up to date, is a responsibility of all checking account users. It is not the bank's job to keep track of what is in your checking account--it is yours. They have excellent customer service. After ten years, I should know. We have our checking, savings, and home mortgage with them.
Of course, I'm 47 and expect to have to balance my checkbook every month. I use quicken--and online banking. No biggie.

JamieFebruary 22, 2010 10:43 PM

Wells Fargo is terrible. Back in 2007 they gave me credit card account, that I never applied for nor did I receive anything in the mail regarding it, and started charging me monthly fees against my student savings account. I didn't catch it until 6 months later (didn't think I had to since I never touched my savings account) and noticed that there were $15 monthly fees being deducted. I closed my savings account the next day and took all my money out of my savings (which cost me $10). But it turned out that one of their employees had entered me in their system wrong or some b.s. like that.
I went to the credit union and opened up an account there. I love them! I'm trying to get my husband to convert since unfortunately is still stuck at wells. Free online bill pay, none of the penalties for depositing money (yes he gets a $10 check card activity fee every time he deposits money more than 5 times a month) ya'd think they want money in their bank...
Wells Fargo is not middle class friendly.

BobMarch 31, 2010 1:52 PM

Wells Fargo sucks! I was in a hurry andwent there to cash a check. The whole experience felt like I was on a cop show being questioned, as they are now wannbe detectives it seems. If you are a non customer they most certainly assume you are a criminal or identity thief until they verify your check.They now take you out of the line(up) and have you sit at a desk and get harrased and questioned to see if you slip up or something on details of the check you are trying to cash.What a cavity search next? Fuck them! At the same time they try to coerse you into opening an account. Fuck that! I just wanted to simply cash a check like I have been doing at any other bank I don't have an account with. it took 30 minutes to cash the check, and on the way out, the idiot account pimp gave me his card in case I change my mind. I ripped it up in his face and gave him the middle finger salute! So my tax dollars that helped bail all these douche bags out are now being used to harrass and humiliate me? Not a good tactic to gain more customers. If that's the way they treat you as a non-customer, I can only imagine the punishment and fees they scorn on their account holders. I would never bank there. Banks suck in general, but Wells fargo is the worst! F U WELLS FARGO!

JASMINEMay 5, 2010 7:55 PM

OK SO I HAVE AUTOMATIC DEPOSIT AND ITS WEDNESDAY MY CECK WAS DEPOSITED INTO MY ACCOUTN MONDAY MORNING AS SOON AS THHE BANK OPENED AND I MADE MY CHECK FOR RENT YESTERDAY AVING EVERY DOLLAR ACCOUNTED FOR EXCEPT NO WELLS FARGO IS STILL HOLDING MY CHECK SO NOT ONLY DID MY RENT CHECK BOUNCE I HAVE TO PAY A 100 FEE TO MY APARTMENTS PLUS A OVERDRAFT FEE IM LIKE WTF AND I CALL THEM AND THEY GIVE ME THE RUN AROUND TIS IS JUST RIDICULOUS AND NOW I KEEP SEEING OVER DRAFT FEES EVEN TO I ALWAYS SUFFICANT FUNDZ IN MY ACCOUNT I HATE THIS BANK SO FUKN MUCH THIS IS RIDICULOUS OH AND ANOTHER THING THEY COMPLETLY EMPTIED MY SAVINGS TO COVER SOME OF THE BOGUS CHARGES AND OD FEES WTF CAN I DO

BJBOctober 26, 2010 2:24 PM

Wachovia as now owned by Wells Fargo is also one of the nuttiest banks in America. We have not been able to get any of our own money out of this bank..... What is the matter with all of u people who now have trust in these 2 establishments?? John G. Stumpf Chairman, President and CEO please let me know how to go about getting 3 accounts out of ur bank in Lambertville, NJ. The manager there Joe Gerko said he would not give any of our money to us. What kind of bank when a person moves from one state to another refuses to release our money to another banking firm. BJB

pamaDecember 1, 2010 7:48 PM

for 28 years i paid my mortgage ON TIME to wells fargo, then 3 years ago i took out a second mortgage for home improvements. wells fucko promised to refinance the 85K 'tricky' balloon loan. last week it was due and they won't help me. i will now go into foreclosure and my family is sad as we prepare to be homeless. as a Chickasaw Indian, i too wanted the american dream. but have recently learned it doesn't mean anything to be a good honest person, though i will continue to be who i am. I didn't deserve this, but it is my mistake for trusting them.

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